Outfoxed!
by Uncle Sporkums
Summary: This story, particularly inspired by the anime concept, concerns Ladybug and Chat Noir (as he was originally called) attempting to corner the notorious, and mysterious fox themed phantom thief, Volpina.
1. Chapter 1

The glowing ball of rock in the night sky shone like a golden eyeball, taking the scene of the majestic palatial building of the Louvre art museum. Despite it's multiple paint scaffolds, showing the valiant effort to restore it, after the mysterious Butterfly's coordinated attack on it, among other parts of the city. Despite the visible damage, it still managed to remain as much a work of art as the peices contained within.

Another eye was watching. To be specific, another PAIR of eyes. Sly, evaluating, calculating eyes, hidden in the shadows of a nearby building that looked for any potential weakness, any bit of a weakness in security. [THERE!] the eyes noticed an open and unguarded window near the roof. The gleam of a confident grin broke through the darkness.

The Scarab Jewel, named for it's similar shape to the insect, sat comfortably on it's burgandy pillow under a protective plexiglass case upon it's showcase pedistal in the middle of a room surrounded by various other Egyptian artifacts, a sarcophagus, A slab of hieroglyphics, and mummified cats.

The two guards standing on either side of the case with their arms crossed, one slightly overweight, the other thin and needle-like, stood poised and ready for any signs of suspicious activity or intrusion.

Suddenly, from the darkened doorway to the left, there began a calm, haunting melody, being played by a woodwind instrument of some kind. The tone was so sooting, and deep at the same time, that it seemed to invite a sense of fatigue. Sure enough, the overweight guard to the left, upon his ears being tuned to the melody's frequency, began to let out a long, tired yawn, his breathing becoming more relaxed, and his eyes beginning to droop.

"Come, on, Phillipe.. Boss isn't gonna like to hear you're getting tir.." The rail thin guard began to chastise his friend, without even turning his head, when suddenly, there was the sound of a body hitting the ground behind him, the guard spun around to see Philippe's large frame sprawled on the ground!

"HUH?! Phillipe, are you..?!" The guard began with a jolt, as he started to rush to his friend's aid, it suddenly hit him.. That same enrapturing melody that whispered softly into his ears, up the skull cavity, where the hypnotic melody seized upon the thalamus, and.. lights out.. The thin guard slumped over and fell to the ground as well...

Back at the door to the hallway, the Cheshire cat-like grin formed it's wide and toothy moon shape again. Then, with a sudden [WOOOSH], an orange streak dashed into the room, before coming to a stop in front of the case, revealing that it was a girl, a teenaged girl dressed in a costume that made her look like a fox, with fox ears, a tail wrapped around her waist and a reddish-orange orange mask. Her hair was long and black, some of it tied into two ponytails at the front. Over her shoulder was slung a small light blue canvas handbag.

The Fox girl eyed the jewel under the case with a smug smile on her face. She opened her bag and took an aerosal can out. She then pointed it in the direction of the case and gently sprayed the mist all around. Just as she'd expected, an intricate web of thin red laser triggers criss-crossed around it. [Hmph.. Piece of cake.. They thought THIS would stop me?!] She scoffed internally. Placing her aerosol can back inside the bag, she took the gleaming silver flute in her hands and raising it to her lips, she closed her eyes thoughtfully, and began playing another deep, haunting tune, which echoed off the walls of the room with an ethereal reverb.

All of a sudden, the top of the glass case began to glow with a yellow, unearthly light, accompanied by a low, glowing hum that almost immediately reached a piercing creschendo. Then, amazingly, the jewel actually rose up, then began to float up on it's own, as if guided by an invisible hand, before rising right through the top of the case, as though it had disintigrated! Then, as the fox girl furrowed her brow from immense concentration as she continued to play without missing a beat. With the nimbelist of motions, the jewel glided through the beams, until it hovered right next to the fox girl just as she finished her tune. As soon as she hit the last note, she quickly took a handkerchief from the bag and snatched the prize right in mid-air with a triumphant grin!

Abruptly, there came the sound of a young woman's voice somewhere nearby, "Excuse me, I don't think that belongs to you." it objected.

With a start, the fox girl's head whipped around in surprise to the direction of a Princess' sarcophogus, as it creaked open.. To reveal the superheroine, Ladybug standing in a relaxed pose within! "So, why don't you just go ahead and put it back, VOLPINA?!" She addressed the fox girl with a challenging expression.

Volpina's look of shock then turned to one of playful engagement, as she tossed the hanky covered jewel into her bag, replying arrogantly with traces of an Italian accent "No thanks! I believe I'll keep it!" Then, quick as a flash, she turned on her heel, and fast as a fox itself, darted from the room!

"Hey! Get back here!" Ladybug called out with fury, as she sprinted off in pursuit.

Through the labyrynthian halls and exhibit rooms, Volpina dashed, attempting to make good her escape, yet the just as agile Ladybug kept close behind.

"Give it up, Volpina! You're not gettin' away this time!" The heroine shouted defiantly as the theif dashed into the darkness of another exhibit room marked "Medeval England".

The room was practically pitch dark, save for the.. Slightly lighter amount of darkness coming from the entraceway. Now, Ladybug was alert, ready for anything as she scanned the room with her eyes and ears.

"Careful, Ladybug, she could be anywhere.." Tikki, Ladybug's good luck Kwami warned her from one of her earrings.

The heroine said not a word, merely giving an affirmitive nod, not even noticing the vaguely human, long eared shape behind her near the doorway, already starting to raise a cylindrical object to it's mouth area and beginning to play a tune as it slowly backed away into the hall.

"A-HA! There you.. Were.." Ladybug began with a triumphant tone of voice, pointing in Volpina's former location, before her hand and face melted with disappointed flaccidity. "Come on out, you fiendish fox!" She exclaimed, attempting to regain her heroic moxy.

Suddenly, there came the sound of metal clanging against the floor, as the flute melody continued.

"Hmm?" Ladybug wondered aloud, as the strand of hair atop her head formed into a shape that resembled a question mark. "What the heck is that?" As a menacing large black shadowed being began to loom abover her from behind.

"AH! Ladybug! LOOK OUT!" Tikki warned loudly.

The heroine turned her head back just in time to see a large suit of armor, moving on it's own, swinging a large sword down upon her! "YAAAHH!" She shouted with a terrified expression, her hair strand erect like an exclamation point. She managed to jump out of the way before the deadly blade slammed into the linoleum floor, causing a tremendous [CUURASH]

Despite the initial burst of fear, Ladybug took advantage of the situation, lept into the air, and gave a powerful roundhouse kick that knocked the armor's helmet clean off! However, the iron behemoth simply raised its blade in another threatening manner with a great heave!

"AH!" Ladybug exclaimed before she retrieved the yoyo at her hip, and quickly swung it around the massive blade, then, giving a massive, straining pull as though she were playing tug of war, she managed to pull the sword, along with the armor's arms, away! The suit then collapsed into a lifeless, untidy heap!

"Finally! Now, where is that sly fox?!" Ladybug sighed with relief, before regaining her determined demeanor.

Grinning, the site of her escape nearly in sight, Volpina chuckled at how simple to best the so called "heroine of Paris". [THERE IT WAS..] The open skylight she had sneaked through. Bearing the claws in her gloves, the beautiful thief stuck them into the wall, and rapidly ascending with the grace of a spider!

Leaping through the open pane she'd removed prior, the cunning girl made a racing start for the next rooftop, when suddenly, the slender, leather clad form of Chat Noir slid in front of her!

"Sorry, Madmoiselle, but you know what they say when a Chat Noir crosses your path.." He teased.

"Sorry, cat boy, but I have a feeling that YOUR luck just ran out!" Volpina countered, before once again raising the flute and began playing a rather high pitched, fast energy tune!

"Huh? What are.. WHA..?!" The young rogue voiced his confusion with wide eyed astonishment as, without warning, his body began to go into spastic, wild, dancing motions against his will! "WHA.. WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" He exclaimed fearfully.

"HA! Well, that takes care of you! Now.." Volpina mocked as she prepared once again to flee.

"HOLD IT, VOLPINA!" Ladybug, several feet away shouted towards her foe.

As the thief turned with an aggrevated face, Chat Noir adopted an elated expression. "Oh, mon cherie! Thank goodness you're here!" He called out with amorous glee.

"Oh, NO! Not YOU again!" Ladybug uttered, slapping her forehead in frustration.

Taking advantage of this, Volpina declared "Well, as you both know it DOES take two to TANGO!" Before giving a brisk tweeting on her flute.

"Now, you'll.. HUH?!" Ladybug began to assert, before noticing that her feet were suddenly taking slow, deliberate choreographed dance steps towards Chat Noir! With a spin, she embraced him, to her shock and discomfort, against her will and assumed the position of the Tango!

"Oh, Cher Ami! I always knew you lo.." He began with syrupy infatuation.

"KNOCK IT OFF, Tomcat! It isn't me!" Ladybug screamed indignantly as she continued her unwanted tango with her admirer.

Volpina chuckled fatly to herself as she rushed to the edge of the roof and lept off!

"AH! She's getting away!" Ladybug cried out in frustration, grunting to free herself from the perpetual dancing position.

"Oh, but dancing here with you in the moonlight is SO much more rewarding!" Chat Noir mused with hearts practically in his eyes.

"GRR! Will.. You.. STOP! GRR! Got.. To.. Break Away!" Ladybug growled in embarrassment and frustration.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette Cheng just DID NOT want to get out of bed the next morning.. The thoughts of her failure to apprehend Volpina the night before left her with a sour feeling in her gut. That, combined with the fact that her feet were still throbbing with blisters from her hour-long impromtu tango with Chat Noir, until the magic control over their bodies wore off, combined with the extra time attempting to elude him after that. The sheets she slumbered in seemed to warmly embrace her, reassuring her, as her clock alarm blared it's loud alert.

"Marinette! PLEASE come down for breakfast!" Came the irritated shout of her mother, downstairs.

"*Mmpf*" The girl mumbled, sitting up. [Why can't they make exceptions for superheroes?] She thought in a garbled way.

Tikki, Marinette's kwami regarded her in a conerned manner. "Marinette, are you alright?"

Marinette turned to her with a weary expression. "After the night I've had, do you really have to ask?"

"Don't despair. You've only lost track of that thief once. I'm sure you'll get another opportunity." Tikki tried to reassure her.

"Oh sure, then, as soon as she pulls that dumb flute out, and it's the tango all over again!" Marinette grumbled as she beleaguredly dressed herself.

"You know, I believe I may be able to assist you to.." Tikki began.

"Sorry, Tikki, it can wait. Mom's gonna start counting soon.." Marinette interrupted, shoving the Kwami into her bookbag.

"Un.. Duex.. Trois.." Mrs. Cheng began in an impatient tone.

"See?" Marinette said with a grimace, before heading downstairs.

Once in the Cheng kitchen, Marinette's tall quite beautiful mother, her chocolate brown hair coming down in strands from the bun atop her head, stared concernedly at her daughter, as she hobbled into the room on the sides of her feet. "Marinette, dear, whatever's the matter with your feet?"

"Huh?! Oh.." Marinette exclaimed, her cowlick suddenly jumped up, as she then tried to come up with an explanation. "I.. Uh.. Bumped my foot in bed last night." She stammered quite unconviningly.

Mr. Cheng lowered the newspaper he was reading and said, with genuine concern in his voice "My goodness dear. Would you like your Mother to drive you to school today?"

Marinette was about to answer, but then took notice of the paper's headline "LADYBUG FAILS TO CAPTURE PHANTOM THIEF VOLPINA; WASTES TIME IN MOONLIGHT TANGO". She turned beet red with anger and embarrassment. "No thanks, the walk will do me good!" She snapped, before limping out her front door, slamming it behind her.

"That girl has been acting peculiar lately.." Mrs. Cheng remarked with confusion.

Marinette, despite her sore feet, did her best to stumble and stagger to class on time.. But, as she rounded the corner cafe, she could already hear the first of the bells begin to chime!

"OH, CRAP!" The girl explained, doing her best to "race" on the sides of her shoes, drawing many snickers and odd looks from bystanders. [Ooh! Everyone's staring at me..] She thought with a self-concious blush. [But.. Still.. I.. I've gotta get to school on these stupid feet!] She continued to herself, in a determined fashion, eyes straight ahead unfortunately, not noticing the curb ending in front of her..

"OOOF!" She grunted upon collapsing to the hard, gritty pavement beneath her..

"Marinette?! Did you hurt yourself?!" Tikki asked with alarm from inside her backpack.

"No Tikki.." Marinette sardonically responded, not even bothering to pick herself up as the second bell began to blare. "Just my chances of not getting a tardy slip.."

[Music.. First period.. Perhaps they'll still be tuning up and the Professor won't hear me sneaking in..] Marinette considered to herself as she, with considerable stealth, sneaked throughout the halls of Notre Dame, plastering herself behind the lockers adjacent to the classroom. Taking a deep, concentrated breath, she dashed to the door and opened it just enought to see inside.

Sure enough, the students were indeed beginning to tune up their instruments, as Professor Mestral was looking over a musical sheet, his eyes focused note to note. Marinette took advantage of this and tried her best to dart into her position with the rest of the flute players, despite only being able to hobble.. Didn't work..

"MADMOISELLE CHENG!" The elderly man with a ridiculously fake looking combover shouted, his head snapping up to glare at her.

Marinette's strand of hair and pigtails sprung up as her body went rigid with fright.

"I will NOT tolerate your frequent tardiness! You'd best apply yourself if you want to get a decent education!" Mestral growled.

"Y..Yes, Professor Mestral.." Marinette sighed with a frown, her hair strand drooped over her face like a sad dog's tail, before making her way to her seat and picking up her instrument.

"Smooth, Marinette.. The way you stumbled in, you should have NO problem applying for the CIA!" Chloe, the blonde, egotistical bane of Marinette's existence taunted with as much venom as she could muster.

Marinette only grumbled in response, her face a low, frog-like grimace. It was then that she felt the warm prescence of love.. Romance near her. She looked above her on the platform. Just a few seats away from Chloe in the violin section, there he sat. His finely chisled, serious, gorgeous visage accentuated by his angelic golden hair was enough to send Marinette's heart aflutter.

Dressed in his usual grey dress shirt and black vest, staring ahead attentively with his peircing green eyes, Felix oozed his usual "hard-to-get" desiribility. It would take some time, but as her hair strand formed into a familiar heart shape, she knew she WOULD do it..

[REEEEEEEEEE!] Poor Marinette's eardrums nearly popped at the loud screech of Chloe playing an unessecarily long note near her ears. Her hair strand spun around like a helicopter rotor.

"Oops, sorry, Marinette.. Just tuning it up.." Chloe whispered with dripping hostility.

Marinette simply gritted her teeth. Wouldn't do good to cause more trouble now..

Prof. Metsral tapped his conducting wand for attention. "IF I MAY, for those of you that ARE paying attention.. We shall resume our rehersal for the first movement of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake"." He instructed in his usual gravelly, aggresive manner.

"Ready when you are, Professor!" Chloe nearly shouted with an annoyingly fake smile and a dramatic adjusting of her instrument.

Alya, Marinette's best friend, seated nearby in the clarinet section, gave her buddy an encouraging "thumbs up". Marinette returned the gesture with a smile, when suddenly there came the shrill whine of another flute, followed by laughter from most of the chorus.

Sofia Machiavelli, the jittery, nervous Italian student tried her best to sink into her chair with a deep, scarlet blush, doing her best to hide her face with her stout pigtails. Marinette couldn't help but feel sympathy for her.

"Madame Machiavelli!" Prof. Mestral roared.

"Scusi! Sorry! Sorry, Professor!" The girl quickly and frightfully apologized.

[That poor girl.. Maybe I should talk to her later..] Marinette thought with a compassionate expression.

Between periods, as Marinette sauntered up to her locker, she caught sight of Sofia, about a yard away, looking glumly through her items. Marinette smiled warmly and approached her.

"Bonjour, Sofia!" She exclaimed.

The girl jumped with a start! "AH!" She wordlessly yelped.

"Oh, Sofia, I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to startle you.." Marinette apologized.

"That.. That's alright, Murnette.. I just didn't hear you, that's all!" Sofia replied with an uneasy smile.

"It's.. It's Marinette, actually.." Marinette playfully corrected her. "And don't worry about it!"

"Oh, thank you for understanding, Missinette.." Sofia replied, becoming a little more cheerful.

"Of course!" Marinette responded, not even bothering to correct her this time. "I'm very sorry about what happened back there. You must forgive Professor Mestral, he expects everyone to be concert level competency in the first week."

"Yes. I suppose I'm just not cut out for playing the flute, is all.." Sofia reflected sadly.

"HEY!" Marinette reprimanded, looking the girl straight in the eye "Don't say that about yourself! There's a lot of hidden potential inside you! I mean, I'm not the best flautist in the world either, but I suppose I could give you some tips after school."

"You.. You would do that for me..?" Sofia asked with a hopeful sounding voice.

"Of course! How does 4:00 sound?" Marinette asked.

Sofia then suddenly became somewhat evasive, her foot nervously tapping an unsteady rythym on the linoleium floor. "Oh.. Uh.. No.. I'm sorry... I.. I'm very busy then, and this evening as well.. Perhaps some other time?"

"Oh, sure! Why, in fact.." Marinette began, only to have her voice trail off as Felix, his usual quiet self, sauntered past the two girls. Marinette's voice then became very soft and dreamlike, the heart shape in her hair once again. "Oh, please forgive me, Sofia. I must.. be going.." She mumbled lovestruck with a glazed look in her eyes.

Marinette gone, and the halls practically empty, Sofia retreated to the nearby girl's bathroom and entered a toilet stall. Now, away from view, a sly.. mischievous smile crossed the formerly shy girl's lips as she reached into her purse and retrieved a large bundled handkerchief, which she unwrapped to reveal the glistening Scarab Jewel!

[Yes, MARINETTE, my new friend..] The girl thought arrogantly, correctly pronouncing her name. [I'm a very busy girl..]

TO BE CONTINUED... 


	3. Chapter 3

The atmosphere in the massive, sparsely decorated room of the mansion brought to mind the words: Cold.. Evil.. Intimidating.. Practically everything was shrouded in shadow, dimly lit by an elaborate jewel chandelier.

The drumming of Papillon's well manicured fingernails upon his glossy white marble countertop in an equally darkened room matched the rythym of his pulse as his piercing, hate filled eyes stared impatiently at the plasma screen projecting the security camera footage of the room in question. He had possibly made a mistake with this girl, she was too clever.. Too independent.. But he wouldn't have to worry about her for long..

Then.. Just as he'd completed this train of thought, there she was.. Volpina had quickly, and effortlessly performed a midair summersault from somewhere in the ceiling, right into the room! Immediately, she was standing straight and alert, looking around for any sign of a possible setup.

"Right on time, as usual, and the typical unexpected entrance as well.." Papillon's voice boomed from a speaker somewhere in the ceiling.

Volpina wasn't phased in the least. She smirked and dryly replied "Hmph! Cut the small talk, Paisano, and let's get down to business.."

"Oh, but of course, my dear.." The sly voice of the villain crackled over the speaker. "But first, let's have proof that you've completed my little assignment."

The thief snorted derisively, before digging into her napsack and pulling out the handkerchief. She then held it up a considerable heigth, and untied the soft cover to reveal the glistening prize within..

"Ahh.." The voice sighed with the satisfaction of sinking into a steaming hot bath. "Very well done.. Now.." He continued, as a low whirring noise approached. Suddenly, a small section of the fancy tile floor slid away, through which a small pedestal emerged. Atop the flat surface was a containment unit of plexiglass. "If you'd please.." Papillon stated in a sugary sweet fashion, belayed by his sinister, deep voice.

Volpina took a few cautious steps toward the unit, before stopping abruptly and gazing somewhat impatiently at the area from which his voice emitted. "Hold it, amigo.. Aren't you forgetting something?" She asked with a slight snarl.

"I assume you'd be referring to your reimbursement." The voice came with almost a droll, uncaring response. "I'm afraid that will not be possible until another task is completed.."

"WHAT?! We had a deal, Papillon!" The girl shouted in outrage.

"Now, now, now, temper.." Papillon's voice chimed in, becoming a little less patient. "Recall how I said when this deal began that I required your SERVICES.. I never specified that they were of a singular nature.."

"IDIOTA! How about I just walk out of here and not do ANOTHER blasted thing for you!?" Volpina countered, volcanically. Shaking her fist in the direction of the disembodied voice.

"Oh, certainly, my dear. And you'd be more than welcome.." Papillon retorted with all the smoothness of warm mollasses. "..But.. if you do choose to back out now, you'd never be able to regain.. That with which you cannot be without.."

Volpina was silent for a moment or two, before a sneaky smirk crept across her olive complected skin. With a minute shrug, she simply replied "Okay, that's fine by me.." in a nonchalant fashion, before turning on her heel, and waltzing over to a darkened corner of the room. There, she began to raise her flute to her lips, when all of a sudden, with the sudden flash like a bolt of lightning, the entire room seemed to illuminate with a blinding intensity, accompanied by one of the most piercing, horrific high pitched screeching sounds like an entire auditorium of fingernails on chalkboards over amplified.

Volpina, in her moment of complete agony and confusion could only drop her instrument, fall to her knees and cover her ears in a vain attempt to protect her sense of hearing from the wailing caucauphony.

"Now, now. We'll have none of that.." Papillon authoritively chided over the blare of his little "correcting" measure.

"STOOOOP! YOU FRIGGING TREDATORE! TURN IT OFFFF!" Volpina growled at the top of her lungs, defiantly, trying her best to shut out the maddening blare.

"WILL YOU BEHAVE?!" Papillon demanded, his voice now a little less than easygoing.

There was a brief pause of hestation. "WILL YOU?!" The deep, refined voice continued to press aggresively.

"SI! YES! NOW TURN THAT DAMN NOISE OFF!" The young lady shouted in reluctant concession.

Almost within a fraction of a second of the syllable leaving her mouth, the lights and sound both quickly shut off in unison. For a moment.. all that was audible in the once again darkened room was the sound of Volpina's labored breath, as she tried to recover from the traumatic event.

For a few moments, Papillon just sat quietly. Watching her kneeling form in the distant corner of the room through his security moniter. Finally, he spoke into the microphone before him. "Now... Miss Machiavelli.." He began.

Volpina suddenly sat up with a gasp at the mention of her surname.

"If you're quite done with this foolishness.. You will listen to what I have to say.." He continued, quite firm in his tone. "If you truly care to have.. This little trinket.. of yours back.." He said, looking down at the small, golden Egyptian Ahnk amulet that lay on the marble desk beside him, the blood red ruby tight in its center cavity glowing in the dim light. "You must retreieve another such artifact.. By force, if necessary.."

"Okay.. Okay.. I'm listening.." Volpina replied. Her thought process now returning to normal.

"It is a black marble Egyptian cat. With a gold necklace embroidered around its collar. If my traces on the object are correct, you shall find this object in.. The History Room of the School that you attend!" Papillon explained, his voice now cold and mechanical once more.

"And the reason cats were worshipped in ancient Egypt is accound of their belief in the goddess Batset, who would take the form of a cat.." Professor Delon, the fourtysomething history teacher instructed his class with the same amount of interest as seeing a discarded gum rapper upon the floor. The students who weren't covertly playing with their digital devices were secretly regretting their curriculum choices.

Marinette was trying her hardest for her heavy eyelids not to close, sending her into a heavy slumber at her desk, but his presentation.. So boring..

"..Which is why there were often these idol statues of black cats in the royal palace like the one you see here.." The Professor continued, reaching down and placing the statue on his desk. This managed to stir the interest of some. Namely Sophia, her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of it.

[AH! There it is..] She thought with a sense of excitement.

Marinette, on the other hand, was not as impressed. [Ugh.. I've got enough black cats in my life already..] She reflected with cynicism, her long lock of hair now drooping between her eyes, creating an almost metronomic fashion that continued to lull her.

Suddenly, Marinette felt a sudden, sharp flick on her forearm. "Ow! Wha..?" She briefly exclaimed, albeit not loud enough to make a scene.

"Shh!" Came the calm whisper of Marinette's best friend, Alya Cesaire as she covertly said out of the side of her mouth "At least TRY to look like you're awake."

"Can I help it if this lesson hasn't changed it's presentation since the Revolution?" Marinette whispered back.

"Still, it would be nice if you paid attention. You'd never know what history can teach you." Alya surreptitiously informed her.

"MR. DELON! MARINETTE AND ALYA ARE INTERRUPTING THE LESSON!" The shrill voice of Chloe Bourgeois, the blonde, overly made up spoiled daughter of the Mayor wailed at the top of her voice, seemingly unaware, or uninterested in the fact that she was emitting a volcanic interruption from her mouth. Needless to say, the entire classroom went so quiet that you could hear a flea cough.

"Why, thank you, Madmoiselle Bourgeois.. Now, may I continue with my lesson?" Professor Delon replied in a sarcastic manner.

"Yes, of course!" Chloe replied in an overly cheerful tone.

This immediately caught the dagger glare of Marinette. [You prissy little stuck up..] She began to snarl inwardly, before catching a heartstopping glimpse of Felix Agreste, sitting within Chloe's vicinity, several seats back, staring directly at her in either a curious or pitying manner. [AH! Oh my gosh! HE.. HE looked at me again!] She thought with a combination of surprise and embarrassment [He..He probably thinks I'm a gossipy jerk now..]

"Anyway.. This fine antiquity was recently excavated from what was believed to have been the tomb of a teenaged girl in the Pharoah's Court." The Professor continued to dryly elaborate.

Sophia, like most students in the room, simply tuned the message out and continued her laser focused attention on the statue...

With a few simple twists of the dial, Marinette opened up her locker and was almost immediately met by a hacking and coughing Tikki.

"Geeze, Marinette! You should really clean your gym shoes more often!" She complained.

"Shh! Try to keep it down!" Marinette hissed in a worried voice. "I'll make it up to you. I'll sneak you some pastries from Daddy's shop."

"Hmm.. Alright.. That will make up for it!" The luck sprite said cheerfully, before once again adopting a dour expression. "Marinette.. There's something I must tell you!"

"Huh? What's wrong, Tikki?" Marinette asked with unease.

"It was.. That.. That room you just came out of.." Tikki began to explain with a sense of disquiet.

"History class?" Marinette asked, confused.

"If you can call it that.." Came the sudden interruptive remark of Marinette's friend, Alya came behind her like the sudden prick of a needle. In a panicked reflex, Marinette hurriedly and blindly grabbed a book from her bag and slammed the door shut, prompting a yelp of pain from Tikki, before briskly spinning on her heel to face her.

"Uh.. Marinette? What was that noise? You hiding an animal in there?" The girl asked with suspiscion.

"NO! N..N..Nothing like that! I..It was me! I slammed my hand in the door!" Marinette replied in an apprehensive stammer, beginning to feign the rubbing of a pained hand.

"Uh..Huh.." Alya responded quite unconvinced, before continuing her gentle interrogation "So, who were you talking to just now?"

[THINK, Marinette!] She thought quite shakily. "MYSELF! I'm just so nervous and frustrated that I was caught nodding off in class, and made a fool of in front of everyone. It happens, you know.." She then tried her best to bluff her way through, her strand of hair bouncing about impatiently atop her head.

"Hmph.. Yeah, I see.." Alya answered seemingly convinced.

[Phew..Ladybug comes through again..] She thought graciously to herself, before suddenly becoming as stiff as an iron rod, the same went for her hair as well, as Felix just happened to grace Marinette's section of the hallway with his roguish prescence.

"Ah! B..Bonjour, Felix!" Marinette managed to greet in a squeakish manner from her trembling lips with surprisingly less stuttering than usual.

The moody blonde angel flickered his eyes to the irritating greeting's general location, before, seemingly with great effort, turning them back straight ahead, leaving only the scent of his expensive cologne in the air.

"Did you see that? He barely looked at me.." Marinette moaned.

"Oh, chin up, Marinette. He's probably just got a lot on his mind." Alya attempted to rationalize.

"Oh, that's what you always say.. I've just GOT to convince him that I'm worth his time!" Marinette declared resolutely.

"Well.. Have you tried poetry.. Or music or something..?" Alya cautiouly suggested.

*Psst, Marinette* Tikki whispered from the locker.

*Shh!* Marinette hushed from the side of her mouth.

*But Marinette! It's important! I've really got to tell you something!* Tikki pleaded.

*SHH! Not now!* Marinette responded irritably, her whispering voice raising a few decibals.

"Huh? What was that?" Alya responded curiously, edging closer.

"AH! I.. I.. Just said "THAT'S HOW!" I'll talk to him through poetry! That's how all of the famous tales of love got started!" Marinette swooned, her hair strand forming a heart once more.

"Heh! Glad I could inspire you! I'll see you at lunch, Marinette." Alya replied with a grin before strutting off.

"Okay, Tikki, now what was it that was so important?" Marinette turned to her locker and asked quietly.

"It's the statue, Marinette! There are some terrible.."

"..Bad luck vibes coming off of it!" Plagg continued that same topic in Felix's backpack as he sorted through his locker. "Which means it could give us some poor saps a VERY unlucky day! Sounds like fun, huh buddy?!"

"ForGET it!" Felix growled out of the side of his mouth.

"Oh, COME ON, Felix, mon chere! You NEVER try to have any fun since that Ladybug girl showed up! We've just GOT to get our hands on it!" Plagg pleaded aggresively.

"Plagg.. Will you just quit harping on that! I can't find that piece of paper.." Felix muttered as he continued to rummage through his belongings.

"What.. Paper..?" The little cat sprite asked nonchalantly.

"The.. You know.. The little poem that I was writing..." Felix hissed with embarrassment.

"Ode to My LADYbug?" Plagg questioned.

There came a stone cold pause from the uptight young man. "Plagg.. How did YOU know the title of my poem?" He asked suspiciously.

"Oh, well, because I gave it a quick glance before tossing it in the rubbish bin.." Plagg casually replied.

An electrical surge seemed to make the lights flicker in the hallway as Felix simmered under the collar of his dress shirt. "Plagg..." He snarled as the hair on the back of his neck stood up in a feline fashion.

"Hey, Mon Ami, I can't have you wasting your time chasing ladybugs when we've got a mischief quota to keep up. You DO want to avoid causing an even worse cat..astrophy, don't you..?" Plagg queried in a passive aggresive tone "Besides, all that GOOD LUCK can't be good for you.."

"Hmph! The jokes on you, buddy! I've already memorized most of it, so that when I finally do encounter that vestige of beauty, I'll lay these words of delightful passion on her with the feeling of warm molasses, that she'll have NO CHOICE put to place the delicious kiss upon my lips that will free me at last from this blasted curse!" Felix concluded with determination, yet with no smile.

"That'll be the day.." Plagg snorted.

"Oh, Plagg.." Felix asked somewhat nonchalantly, but before the Kwami had a chance to reply, Felix had already slammed the door shut on his locker, prompting the creature to yelp in pain. "Watch your tail.." He concluded intentionally too late.

TO BE CONTINUED... 


	4. Chapter 4

The crickets chirped their usual repetitive symphony over the moonlit sight of the schoolgrounds, and all seemed peaceful and calm.

[ZIP) The mysterious shape fluttered by the trees near the left hand side of the building. The figure spotted the window upon the third floor window that led to the history class.

A soft, haunting melody permeated the cool, crisp air and, almost as if by some ghostly force, the window panes were gently pushed open.

In the cluster of trees on the opposite side, like a ninja warrior, Ladybug crouched, waiting.. With this action, her hair strand and pigtails sprang to life! "AH! It's her!" she nearly said out loud

"Be careful, Ladybug!" Tikki shouted from inside her earring.

Then, with the skill of an acrobat, the shape of the mischievous Phantom Thief scurried up the tree closest her, then lept to the window ledge above the tallest branch and into the room!

"AH! I've got to hurry!" Ladybug exclaimed, before sprinting to the tree, snatching the Lucky Charm at her side, whirled it like a cowgirl's lasso above her head, and tossed it's blunt anchor around a tall branch, she tugged at it for support, before running upside the tree's trunk, up to the branch, and swan diving towards the window!

Volpina kneeled behind the teacher's desk with the steely expression of an expert safecracker. The short, squat vault containing the treasured artifact within her grasp. With meticulous and precise fingerwork, the fox-clad burglar weaved a tune so wildly paced that one might be convinced she were transferring morse code. Then, with that same ethereal motions, the vault's dial lock spun in a frantic frequency, before simply popping off, and having the door swing wide open! Even in the dull gleam of the moon, the light's reflection upon the black stone skin of the cat statue and it's golden necklace seemed to beckon attention.

And beckon Volpina's attention it did. "Ah, there you are, little gato. Come along with Mama, now.." She whispered with a maternal purr.

"Excuse me, young lady!" Came an equally youthful, yet authoritive tone.

Volpina turned with surprise to see Ladybug standing on the windowsill in a heroic pose, her arms folded across her chest, the moon behind her giving her a natural spotlight. "I believe that school hours are over and you're tresspassing on private property!" She declared.

Volpina simply adopted a sly smirk and replied casually "Well, haven't you heard of night school? Better take a DESK!" Before quickly raising the flute to her lips and gave a pattern of a few quick notes and without any sign of warning, one of the class desks sprang to live and launched right at the heroine!

"AH!" Ladybug barely had enough time to gasp, before quickly diving out of the way! The desk sailed out the window the very next minute!

"Ooh! That must have been expensive! As punishment, you MUST clean the erasers!" Volpina announced, before blowing another quick, noisy melody which brought a dusty pair of chalkboard erasers high into the air, and bringing them down with such force, that the whole classroom erupted into a thick smokescreen of chalk dust!

As Ladybug coughed under the heavy fog, Volpina snatched the statue up, placed it in her satchel and flung open the door and skittering out!

"Hey! Get back here!" Ladybug shouted, giving chase, as she rubbed the chalk residue from her eyes.

Sprinting with the expertise of a marathon runner, Volpina barreled down the hallway, looking for a quick escape exit, as she neared another nearby window, however, the sudden crack of a whip sounded, and a long black belt suddenly snapped out from the shadows, clutching at the strap of her satchel and pulling it away!

"Ah! Give that back!" Volpina growled with fury, looking in the direction of the assailant.

With a mischievous giggle, Chat Noir, his belt tail grasping the satchel in a prehensile fashion. His fangs showing in his wide grin. "This doesn't look like YOUR lucky day, Miss Volpina!" He stated in a suave manner.

"On the contrary.. YOU'RE the one out of luck.." Volpina replied, before launcing into a sped up rendition of "The Snake Charmer's Tune" and, true to form, Chat's tail began to, of its own accord, slink over to Volpina like a hypnotized Cobra, as he stared on in disbelief. She then snatched the bag away, and with a cheerful "Grazi!" she then played a very quick and violent end to the melody, and then, with a sudden jolt, the belt then whipped back and around the cat-boy's throat, beginning to strangle him and threw him to the floor!

Seemingly uncomfortable in this new position, Volpina now made a dash for a pair of double doors farther down the hall. At that exact moment, Ladybug came racing around the corner. Her face turned from determination, to surprise, then mild regret all in no time flat.. [Oh, no.. Not HIM again..] She thought in an inward groan, but upon reaching the sprawled out boy, she noticed that his own belt was strangling him! Instinctually, despite her dislike of being around him, the heroine immediately stopped dead in her tracks, knelt down, and, with superhuman strength, pried the belt loose, and unwrapped it from his neck!

Chat Noir immediately sat up, gasping for breath, before turning to look at Ladybug. His green, cylindrical pupils became wide with excitement. "M..MY ANGEL! You've SAVED my LIFE!"

Ladybug only stared back stoically, trying to remove any such concern she had felt. "Well.. of.. Of COURSE! I couldn't just let her kill you!"

"Oh, my Lady, you DO care!" Chat purred lovingly, before motioning to embrace her, only to be met by her flattened palm against his face.

"Don't overdo it!" She snapped.

[Now's my chance! My chance to be rid of this wretched curse once and FOR ALL!] The cat-boy thought fiendishly to himself, before feigning what seemed to be several overly dramatic staged coughs, and, fanning at his face, as though he were overheated. "Oh.. Oh, my.. I.. I feel faint.. I.. think I may need mouth to mouth resuscitation!"

Ladybug, her face not affected by this display, yanked Chat up by his tassuled blonde hair! "KNOCK IT OFF, Casanova! Volpina just ducked into the gym! Im sure we can catch up to her in time! Come on!" She barked, before grabbing hold of the boy's hand and pulling him along!

[My hand! She's holding my hand! That kiss can't be far away!] Chat thought with escstatic euphoria.

With a loud, echoing bang, Ladybug rammed through the double doors of the gymnasium, only to find it deathly dark and silent.

"Hmm.. She seems to have gotten away.." Chat Noir concluded silently to himself.

"I suppose.. But still, it would still have taken her a while to get through those other doors.." Ladybug replied uncertainly, looking about with an alert expression.

Suddenly, as of to confirm her suspicions, the twanging sound of a bouncing basketball approached them.. The rubber ball halted suddenly at the two heroes' feet. "Care to play, Paisanos?!"

The two suddenly tensed up, and without another word, there came a sudden, jaunty, yet sinister melody from a flute.

"AH! Ladybug, look out!" Tikki shouted from Ladybug's earring, just in time, as a dodgeball soared straight across the room towards them!

Luckily, the two dodged just in time, leaping to opposite sides of the gymnasium. But the melody continued, and with no time to breathe, the two found four additional dodgeballs, two came whipping towards each! Instictively manuvering backward until their backs had collided!

"I knew you couldn't stay away!" Chat jested with a smile.

"Quiet, you.. WATCH OUT!" Ladybug began to admonish, before she noticed a football zooming towards them. After pushing him out of the way, she leapt up and delivered an impressive inverted mid-air kick that fired the ball straight back to the darkened space from whence it had come.

Sitting high atop the bleachers, hidden in shadows, Volpina, suddenly became wide-eyed at the sight of her own checkered projectile sailing right at her! She instantly took an evasive manuever and growled vengefully "Alright, NOW you're gonna get it!"

"Bring it, you tone deaf klepto!" Ladybug countered.

With an enraged growl, Volpina once again raised her musical weapon to her lips.

At that same moment, Ladybug snatched her lucky charm from her side, looked over at Chat, this time without disgust, but an immediate and serious sense of comraderie, and asked "Got your claws out, Kitty?"

With a brash grin, Chat beared the sharp, dangerous silver claws from his leather gloves, and replied in an urbane voice "Always!"

The shrieking tones from the flute peirced the silence, echoing off the gym walls with a forboding sense of doom. [FOOM! FOOM! FWOOSH!] Tennis balls, Basketballs, Footballs, Cricket balls, and every manner of spheroid missle possible careened toward the two costumed figures at lightning speed! But, just as quickly, Ladybug twirled her Lucky Charm by it's beaded lariat, shouting from the top of her lungs "I'M.. FEELING.. LUCKY!" And with the zipping noise of a rubber band gone mad, the yoyo glowed with a magical red aura, and began effectively swatting away the storm of sporting equipment in any direction Ladybug aimed, as well as high kicking the ones that aimed lower!

Chat Noir was also at full force, swatting at the balls with his razor sharp claws, popping, snapping, and deflating them with an expert arm. Then, he raised his voice to shout "Cat o' Nine Tails!" And with that, his belt tail twirled with the velocity of a helicopter blade, appearing to possess nine tails in his belt loop! These tails then swatted the balls away, also covering them with a black aura sending them off in the direction of the assailant!

Needless to say, Volpina was quite distressed at the sight of this as the balls came whistling back at her! As cunning, and as fast as she dodged each one, [BANG! BANG! BA-BANG!] Two more would impact upon her head, stomach, backside, and legs, prompting yelps of pain from the phantom thief! Then, finally, with one well placed smack, one of Ladybug's counter strikes from a tennis ball caught her off guard and scored a direct hit right between the eyes, knocking her off the bleachers.

"AH! Got her!" Ladybug exclaimed with more surprise than excitement. "Hurry!" She prompted with a wave of the hand as she and Chat charged toward Volpina's prone body.

However, as they approached the fallen fox girl, she kicked her leg out in a surprise trip move that buckled Ladybug's ankles, which she turned into an impressive handspring, before landing upright again! As Volpina leapt back to her feet as well, delivering a backward kick attack, Ladybug countered with a kick of her own, and the girls legs connected like the swords of fencers. At that same moment, Chat executed a textbook leg sweep that once again brought the thief down hard on her back. Propelling herself up by the palms of her hands, Volpina landed two stunning kicks to the heroes' midsections!

Falling back, breathless and in pain, the two could only watch as Volpina waltzed over to their location, shook her head like a disappointed parent, and cheerfully reprimanded "You two little idiotas have really been a pain to me. I warn you that you'd better stop getting in my way, or else.." She left a vague threat with her heavily accented voice, before once again raising her flute and playing an enchanted melody. From off in the equipment part of the gym, a jumprope came slithering like an Anaconda. With no haste, it wrapped around the dazed heroes, tying them together! "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get this back to my connection.. If it is still in one peice, that is.." She concluded, glaring disdainfully at the bag, then back at the two heroes, before turning swiftly on her heel and dashing towards the doors!

"Grr! Just GREAT! We've GOT to get untied and after her, and then maybe we'll only be about 500 meters behind her!" Ladybug grumbled as she struggled against the bindings of the rope.

"Not to fear, my Lady.. I'll.. ugh.. cut through these..ugh.. terrible ropes and.." Chat assured her through gritted teeth, only to be interrupted by a yelp from Ladybug, her hairstrand and pigtails standing on end.

"Watch where you're sticking those claws!" She grumbled, rubbing the side of her thigh.

"Ah! A thousand pardons, my La.." Chat stammered in an attempt to apologize only to be slammed face first into the polished lineolium floor.

"Just give me those claws! I'll get us out!" Ladybug growled aggresively grabbing hold of Chat's right hand and positioning the claws upwards and began using them like a razor at a rapid pace, causing the rope coils to break strand by strand and then snap.

At this moment, all that Chat could think of was [She's touching me.. She's actually grabbing my hand!] with romantic intoxication.

Within a second later, the two were up and on their feet again, free!

Almost with a reluctant sigh, Ladybug ordered "Come on! We've got a fox hunt to finish!"

"Yes, My Lady!" Chat Noir enthusiastically replied as the two dashed off.

"Grr! Stop calling me that!" She shouted in an irritated manner.

TO BE CONTINUED... 


	5. Chapter 5

With the fleetness and rapid motion that pretty much only comes with running scared, despite her belief that she had temporarily desposed of the two costumed heroes in her way, Volpina glided upon her black fox-toed boots upon the school hallway's lineolium floor until she reached the stairs that led to the building's rooftop. Suddenly, her tall ears attactched to the top of her head pricked up at the sound of approaching footsteps and the familiar voices of her foes!

"Ah!" She exclaimed out loud with a surprised expression "Is there NOTHING that will halt these two?!"

She bolted up the stairs to the door and pressed her force against it. LOCKED! With her pulse rapidly increasing, Volpina quickly squeaked a series of notes on her flute, to which the door sprung open as if automatically! Almost as though there were springs in her feet, Volpina leaped into the cool night air atop the roof of the building. Quickly shutting the door behind her! The worried thief then sprinted to the roof's edge and precariously gazing over the view of the high fall and looking down in desperation at anything that would assist in her escape. The tree limb five stories down looked promising, but at the same time, may be too much a risk.

Just then, with a crash of metal, the door to the roof flew off on its hinges, and the images of Ladybug and Chat Noir sommersaulted into view, landing in a crouched position.

"ALRIGHT, FOXY LADY, END OF THE LINE!" Ladybug shouted in a legitimately irate tone of voice, her mouth in a snarl of frustration.

Taking a deep breath and calming herself, Volpina then adopted her usual arrogant demeanor, and turned to face the heroes.

"Well, now, doesn't this seem familiar?" She began almost nonchalantly "Here we are again upon a moonlit rooftop, you two believing that you have me cornered, and then.." She continued, placing her flute to her lips "I start playing YOUR song.."

The words were barely out of her mouth and near the holes in the instrument when there came the sound barrier breaking crack of the Lucky Charm's blunt round body knocking the cursed object skyward and over the edge of the roof!

"NOOOO!" The fox thief screeched at the top of her voice. Her face red with rage and panic.

"I hate tangoes.." Ladybug muttered under her breath, as she whipped the Yo-yo back around her finger, then belt, effortlessly. Chat Noir couldn't help mustering a sense of disappointment upon his face.

"Alright! You wanna PLAY DIRTY?! Let's see if CATS CAN LAND ON THEIR FEET!" Volpina Shouted with fanatical wrath.

Chat instinctively rose on the balls of his feet, assuming a combat position , bearing his claws, and retorting "I'm ready when YOU are, Senora!"

Volpina smirked and asked rhetorically "Who said I was talking about YOU?!" Before quickly flinging the satchel with the cat statue within over the roof!

"CRAP!" Ladybug and Chat exclaimed in unison. Without thinking, Chat bolted for the roof's edge and raced down the building's side rapidly using his claws, persuing the falling bag!

"CHAT!" Ladybug called out with concern.

"Oh, wait.. I suppose I DID mean him.." Came the crass tone of Volpina as Ladybug looked over to see her step aside and reveal the cat statue sitting there!

Ladybug's blood ran hot as she glared angrily at the thief's devil-may-care demeanor. "You just made a big mistake!"

"On the contrary, Princiepessa, I don't MAKE mistakes!" Volpina retorted with a defiant expression.

"You sure did when you DARED to steal from THIS city!" Ladybug boldly declared. "You're nothing but a two-bit CRIMINAL!"

Now, Volpina's facade began to sour as it became an indignant frown. "You'd BETTER take that BACK!" She ordered harshly.

Ladybug's expression then changed to a self-assured grin. "Make me. Feeling lucky?" She challenged.

With an almost animalistic growl, the fox girl sprinted and lunged at the heroine!

Chat Noir's heart rate was now identical to a hummingbird's as he continued to careen down the school's outer wall with the predatory nature of his feline disposition as he persued the falling bag. Then with panic in his eyes, he discerned that the bag was JUST about to hit the ground! With an extra pump of adreneline to his heart, Chat streaked ahead like a black bolt of lightning, until he had reached out and CAUGHT the bag by its strap right before impact, and collapsed feet first onto the soft, dewey grass below.

"Smooth, Cat Boy. Guess she was was right!" Plagg jested from the ring on his finger.

"Sh..Shut up, Plagg.." Chat mumbled in a shakey voice, before taking a deep breath, and then rifling into the bag. "AH! It's EMPTY!" He exclaimed in horror.

"WHAT?!" Plagg asked with just as much fright. "Did it fall out?!"

Chat checked the flap of the satchel. "No. It's shut tight! She.. She TRICKED me.." He suddenly realized, before hearing a battle cry from above, and looking upwards with a start "AH! MY LADY!" he hollored.

With the conclusion of her furious shout, Volpina had completely lunged in Ladybug's direction, only for the heroine to perform a daring backflip! As Volpina continued to advance, Ladybug applied a textbook plie kick to her enemies' chin!

"UNGH!" Volpina grunted in pain, falling onto her back, and then backspringing back to her feet. Feeling about the now bleeding cut on her chin, "Oh, you picked the wrong "TWO-BIT THIEF" to mess with!" She roared with rage before grabbing hold of Ladybug's arms and drilling her knee right into her stomach!

The wind knocked out of her, Ladybug sank to her knees with a thug, coughing,

Suddenly, Tikki called out "LADYBUG!"

The heroine looked up to see, out of the corner of her eye, Volpina, a deranged grin on her face, standing above her, readying to strike her atop the head with her joined fists! Quickly leaping back to life, she swept her leg against Volpina's, knocking the thief on her side! With another hateful snarl, Volpina rose up and tackled Ladybug around her waist! However, the heroine rolled onto her back and kicked her into the air! The thief then landed in a squat, beginning to pant.

"That all you got?!" Ladybug challenged with a cocky expression, despite breathing quite heavily herself.

"Glad you asked!" Volpina grinned in a sinister manner.

At that moment, Chat Noir climbed up upon the rooftop in time to see Volpina grab Ladybug by her legs, slamming her on her back, and preparing to stomp on her face! With a gasp, he quickly reared back his belt tail and wrapped it around her arms and upper torso, causing her to lose balance and fall over!

Ladybug quickly lept atop Volpina and pinned her! "You've just fleeced your last henhouse!" She shouted, before looking over at Chat Noir with a smile and giving him an appreciate thumbs up.

The cat boy blushed nervously and smiled back.

"NOOOO! You.. You can't DO this to me! You don't know HOW important this was!" Volpina protested violently attempting to wriggle free to no avail.

"Tell it to the judge, you foul thief!" Ladybug retorted.

"You don't GET IT, you imbecile! This ISN'T JUST about ME! It's about YOU, HIM, THIS CITY, THIS WORLD AS WE KNOW IT!" Volpina yelled out.

"What kind of nonsense are you talking about? What do WE have to do with your THEFTS?" Ladybug answered indignantly.

"LADYBUG!" Came the shout of Tikki's voice from her earring "Listen to her!"

"WHA..?!" Ladybug called out, confused,

"Trust me!" Tikki assured.

"Alright, what exactly are you talking about?!" Ladybug asked suspiciously.

"I assume that YOU possess a Kwami as well.. As does this boy here.." Volpina declared, glancing over at Chat, who eyed her suspiciously.

"WHAT..?! You.. You mean, there's MORE of us..?!" Ladybug exclaimed in disbelief.

"Of COURSE, there are! It probably never occured to you that there were others beside just you at first!" Volpina informed them.

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other with uneasy confirmation. Ladybug then looked back down at the Phantom Thief and grilled "So what the heck does THAT have ANYTHING to do with your stealing?!"

"HA!" Volpina scoffed "As if I'd tell you!"

Ladybug then smirked with a cavalier attitude. "That's okay. I suppose maybe the Gendarmes will have more luck getting it from you." She implied.

Volpina gritted her teeth with frustration and shouted "I WAS TRYING TO SAVE THIS COUNTRY!"

Ladybug and Chat adopted startled expressions "HUH?!" They gasped aloud.

"That terrorist in the dirigible?" Chat Noir wondered.

"HE'S involved in this?!" Ladybug asked Volpina.

"YES, ALRIGHT? After I'd been starting getting noticed in the papers for my minor cat burglaries, which I'd just been committing to eat, since I'm an orphan, I recieved a mysterious letter, claiming to reimburse me and give me a new identity if I stole specific objects for him." Volpina explained with legitimate emotion in her voice.

"Huh? That Scarab Jewel and this ancient cat statue?" Ladybug quiried.

"Right. But he's keeping something from me that I legitimately obtained. A silver Ahnk necklace with a red jewel in the middle. He says that he will give it back to me when I give this artifact to him. I'm starting to disbelieve him, however.." Volpina continued.

"I wonder.. Could there be something to him collecting these Ancient Egyptian artifacts?" Ladybug wondered out loud.

It was at that moment that Chat Noir froze, looking downwards with a frightened and confused expression. Sweat beginning to pour down his brow. This inadvertantly caused his tail to come loose and Volpina, realizing this, pulled free and performed a stunning leg sweep to both of the heroes and rushed to the roof's edge, shouting "UNTIL NEXT TIME, PAISANOS!" and diving for its edge.

Ladybug and Chat immediately got to their feet and gave chase. After reaching to the area she had jumped, they looked down, only to see nothing but the grass below.

"YOU.. YOU just HAD to let your tail get tired DIDN'T you?!" Ladybug roared in a rage.

"It.. It didn't get tired.. I... I just.." Chat began to explain, before his voice silently trailing off.

"Look, just forget it.. The NEXT time I run into her, I hope that I.." Ladybug began to derisively state, before realizing the situation and stopped herself, before turning back to him and saying gently with a warm smile "Thank you for your help.."

Chat Noir beamed back warmly, and then nervously fidgeted about inside his jackey and took out a peice of crumpled paper. "Th.. Thank you, M..My Lady.. If.. If I may, I'd like to indulge you in this verse.. "O'er the rooftops of Pariee, Leaps my dear fair Cherie, Her scarlet form doth make my heart sing, As the bells of St. Notre's Church ring. With Ease, she brings me good fortune and love, I long to feel her hand upon my glove..."

Suddenly, Noir's head was jolted up by the sound of Ladybug's receding voice calling out "OkayThanksLaterBye!" As she raced off and leaped off the roof , hopping down the ledges like stepping stones.

As Chat stood with a forlorne expression, his hand holding the poem slowly slumped to his side, the cold night wind whistling through his hair..

"You're a regular Whitman, mon ami.." Plagg sardonically remarked.

"OH, SHUT UP!" Chat roared back.

Marinette's body ached with minor discomfort after slipping into bed post transformation. Her mind raced.. [Papillon and Volpina are working together.. What could those Egyptian artifacts he was coercing her to steal mean? Is he THAT much of a collector? What was with Chat's reaction? Oh, well.. The less thought about him and his dumb stalking, the better.. Just like that dumb poem he tried to..] Marinette stopped in mid thought and sat up straight in bed as though her foot had just touched an ice cube! Her hair strand stuck straight up as well! "THAT'S IT!" She exclaimed, before leaping to her feet and racing to her bedside table, and switching on her oriental latern shaped desk lamp. She then hurriedly grasped for some paper and began scribbling upon it feverishly, her hair strand bouncing up and down with effort.

A sleepy Tikki floated over towards her and mumbled "Marinette, it's the middle of the night.. You have school in the morning. What are you doing?"

"Not now, Tikki! L insperation de l amour has hit!" Marinette replied with much enthusiasm.

Tikki only shrugged her small shoulders and floated back to her sleeping place.

Marinette let out a rather loud roar of a yawn as she eagerly waited by the lockers the next morning. Her pulse moving at a rapid fire pace. [Will he like it? Will he know it was me? What if he sees me waiting here?] The nervous thoughts danced through her head. Her hair strand bobbed up and down with the same nervous motion.

"Marinette?" A familiar voice asked, causing her to yelp and knock over a nearby trashcan, causing some looks and taunting giggles. Alya stared with a concerned expression

"Geeze, Alya, you scared me!" Marinette reprimanded.

"Sorry, just wondering what you're waiting for this time." Marinette's friend said with genuine worry.

"It's.. It's nothing! Just leave it.." Marinette replied evasively.

"So much nothing that it's worth waiting by the lockers for?" Alya teased good naturedly, a smile beginning to form on her face. "You sent him something, didn't you?"

"SHH!" Marinette shushed her friend with fury and uncertainty as she noticed the cool, calm demeanor of Felix nonchalantly approaching his locker, schoolbook in hand. Marinette's hands gripped so tightly, that she was sure to hear the sounds of breaking bones. Felix opened his locker to place his book inside. Then, a sudden, startled look came across his normally suave demeanor.. [HE SEES IT!] Marinette shrieked inwardly, the blush across her nose now covering her entire face.

Felix extracted the blank pink, unaddressed envelope, sealed with a deep red lipstick. Casually examined it, paused, then held it closer to his face and very covertly sniffed it..

[HE SMELLS IT! THE PERFUME!] Marinette thought tensely, her body now breaking out into a cold sweat.

Felix, with great care, almost as if the envelope would explode, opened it and extracted the gaily decorated letter, upon which his normally heavily lidded eyes flared with surprise at the wording written upon it:

As your very prescence fills the room, you fill it's very being with angelic grace..  
'Tis the same with every sad sould who glimpses upon the illumined visage of your face..

The scent of your musk fills my nostrils with glee, and turns my gloomy day to light..  
How I long for each sight of your gold covered crown that gives my affection such might..

Your emerald green eyes could melt the hardest heart, your bronzed face, cause torrents to halt..  
Your Princely demeanor compells me to write this most passioned exhalt..

If I may be this bold to join this heart to thine..  
However I need to win your love, you shall always win mine..

Felix seemed to freeze on the spot. Much longer than it should have taken him to read such a short poem.. He seemed almost uncertain, worried, as though he did not know how to respond to such a bold declaration.. Then, with a heavy sigh.. His face returned to it's bland, neutral state, as he neatly folded the letter and insterted it into his dark grey vest pocket.., Before retrieving another textbook from his locker, and calmly walking off.

"AH! Did you SEE THAT? He.. He didn't throw it away!" Marinette practicallt squealed into Alya's ear.

"So, you going to ask him how he liked it, later?" Alya asked eagerly.

"WHAT?! Oh, NO! I.. I can't do that! I didn't even sign it! That's the point! He won't know for sure if it was from me, so that would help my chances!" Marinette nervously explained.

"Marinette!" Alya reprimanded, adopted a disappointed expression.

"Look.. I.. I'll tell him some OTHER time.. When.. When I'm ready.." Marinette replied in defense.

"Well, by the way, did you hear about the school prank last night?" Alya asked nonchalantly.

"Huh?" Marinette asked with a start. Her hair strand forming a question mark.

"That Egyptian cat statue from Professor Delon's history class? It was stolen! Someone broke it out of the safe. But then they found it up on the roof, so they figured it was just a prank." Alya explained as Marinette attempted to act surprised. She then leaned in closer and whispered "Personally, I don't think so. I'm sure that Phantom Thief was trying to steal it, and the Ladybug stopped her!"

"AH! Uh.. You know what, Alya, I'm sure that it was just some stupid senior prank.." Marinette nervously replied, feining her disbelief.

Just then, the sight of Sophia, her arm in a cast, and a couple of bandages on her face, walked into view. Marinette was legitimately surprised, and concerned. "AH! Sophia, what happened to you?!" She rushed over and asked.

"Oh, ah.. Bon Gionrno, Harriette.." Sophia nervously greeted, again misprouncing her name. "Oh, is just a small accident. I fall while riding my bike yesterday.. Is no small problem, just sprained arm and scrapes.." She almost defensively stated.

"Well, I'm glad that you're not seriously hurt!" Marinette said with good cheer.

"Ah, yes! I gotta go get ready for music now! Ciao!" The girl evasively replied with a quick smile. It was as she walked off that Marinette suddenly felt a cold chill up her spine. [Wait a minute.. Wait one good minute.. I don't remember her arm being hurt, but her chin.. Her chin was bandaged in the same area that Volpina was cut.. Then.. The Italian accent.. The hair..] She went over and over in her mind with the deepest feeling of dread in her stomach..

"Marinette.. What are you staring at? Are you alright? MARINETTE!" Alya shouted with concern, shaking her friend vigorously by the shoulder, trying to snap her out of her catatonic state to no avail..

THE END 


End file.
